Newsom jumps onto another national plane

From: POLITICO California Playbook - Friday Mar 31,2023 01:10 pm

Mar 31, 2023

By Jeremy B. White, Lara Korte, Matthew Brown and Ramon Castanos

THE BUZZ: Gov. Gavin Newsom just gave us 10 million more confirmations of his desire to be a national political figure.

The governor, who just won four more years leading California, directs much of his political focus east of the Sierra. Newsom frequently lambastes Republican leaders, often refusing to name them as if fearful of conjuring Voldemort: He condemned them during his inauguration address and dunks on them in quote-tweets. He brought up Florida’s governor unprompted while signing an oil profits penalty this week.

So, it was no surprise to see ominous images of former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in the glossy launch video for Newsom’s new “Campaign for Democracy” committee. Newsom reprised familiar warnings about insidious authoritarianism in Republican states that are criminalizing abortion and demonizing transgender people. Newsom has constantly implored Democrats to drop their complacency and go on “offense” against narrative-dominating Republicans.

But the financial commitment was new. The governor pledged $10 million to the new committee. That’s another order of magnitude from what he spent last year on ads in Florida or billboards in Texas that were more about symbolism and earned media than winning campaigns. By contrast, the new hybrid PAC can fund independent expenditure ads, donate to other campaigns and subsidize get-out-the-vote operations in other states.

Newsom has the financial freedom to spend outside of California. He glided through a landslide 2022 reelection campaign that left nearly $17 million in the bank. Even after deducting the $10 million for his new national foray, Newsom will have more than double what 2022 Republican challenger Sen. Brian Dahle spent on his entire campaign.

At this point, you may be asking: Is Newsom doing this to set up for a possible presidential run, or is he simply building clout by influencing national Democratic politics? The answer is yes. Newsom has shown assiduous deference to President Joe Biden, saying his new committee would help Biden win a still-undeclared re-election campaign. (The video displayed images of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as Newsom vowed to elect leaders in 2024 who believe in democracy.)

But you can help the party while helping yourself. The campaign can help Newsom build out a national network and bolster his image as the Democrat taking the fight to Republicans. That may bolster Democrats in 2024. It could certainly buoy Newsom in 2028.

BUENOS DÍAS, good Friday morning. It’s the final day of the first quarter of 2023, so fundraising solicitations will hit peak urgency as campaigns look to bolster their totals so they can telegraph strength. The stakes are particularly high for Rep. Barbara Lee as she looks to close a cash chasm between her and Reps. Katie Porter and Adam Schiff in a Senate race.

Got a tip or story idea for California Playbook? Hit us up at jwhite@politico.com and lkorte@politico.com or follow us on Twitter @JeremyBWhite and @Lara_Korte.

WHERE’S GAVIN? Hitting the road: He’s traveling to Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and then heading to Florida for a Democratic Governors Association conference.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I believe that this is a sad day for Los Angeles, and I feel that sadness personally. … For decades, Mark Ridley-Thomas has been a champion for our city, a civil rights activist, a thought leader and a policymaker who made a real impact on the city.” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on a longtime ally’s conviction, via the Los Angeles Times.

TWEET OF THE DAY:

SpeakerMcCarthy

POWER PLAYERS: POLITICO and The Recast newsletter just published a Power List naming the 40 most influential people on culture, race and politics: Republicans and Democrats who notched key 2022 wins, advocates driving major court cases or shaping the public's reaction to them, celebrities who used their platforms to challenge governments, and so many more.

The Recast share card.

Among them are Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California’s reparations task force. Bass got the nod for her swift action on homelessness, while the reparations panel is breaking new ground on racial justice.

JOIN POLITICO ON 4/5 FOR THE 2023 RECAST POWER LIST: America’s demographics and power dynamics are changing — and POLITICO is recasting how it covers the intersection of race, identity, politics and policy. Join us for a conversation on the themes of the 2023 Recast Power List that will examine America’s decision-making tables, who gets to sit at them, and the challenges that still need to be addressed. REGISTER HERE.

TOP TALKERS

MRT GUILTY: Yet another Los Angeles political career crumbled in a federal courthouse Thursday. Former state lawmaker L.A. council member Mark Ridley-Thomas was found guilty of orchestrating a pay-for-play scheme to get his son, former Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas, into USC. Ridley-Thomas’s conviction extends a string of L.A. scandals, coming after former council members Jose Huizar and Mitch Englander pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges.

Ridley-Thomas was convicted of pushing the L.A. board of Supervisors to steer county contracts to USC’s social work program in exchange for admitting his son to the school with a teaching position. The younger Ridley-Thomas, was being investigated by Capitol lawyers for sexual harassment. Marilyn Flynn, the former USC dean who conspired with the elder Ridley-Thomas, pled guilty in September for her role in the scheme. — Alexander Nieves

BAINS BOOTED — California lawmaker booted from committee after voting against gas profits cap, Jeremy reports: Rendon removed Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains (D-Delano) from the Assembly Business and Professions committee just days after Bains broke with the Democratic caucus by voting against Newsom’s proposal to limit fossil fuel earnings. While other moderate Democrats withheld votes, Bains was the only Democrat who joined Republicans in voting no.

CAMPAIGN MODE

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — TEAM PORTER: Rep. Katie Porter’s Senate campaign is announcing some hires: former DCCC regional political director Lacey Morrison will manage the campaign, Jenn Liu will be finance director and Katie Bartizal will run the digital side. Senior advisers will include Nora Walsh-Devries, who ran Porter’s prior House race; comms veteran Nathan Click; and Addisu Demissie and Courtni Pugh, whose list of California clients have included Gov. Gavin Newsom.

CALIFORNIA AND THE CAPITOL CORRIDOR

— “Second woman accuses Nathan Fletcher of improper behavior,” by NBC 7 San Diego’s Eric S. Page: “Embattled County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher — the subject of a suit filed this week by a former MTS employee alleging a pair of sexual assaults by the prominent San Diego politician, who resigned as the chair of the MTS on Tuesday — faces additional accusations of improper behavior, this time lodged by a former UC San Diego student who interned for him back in 2015.”

‘A VICIOUS CYCLE’ — “Cities are struggling. San Francisco could be in for the biggest 'doom loop' of all,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Roland Li and Noah Arroyo: “Interconnected forces trap the city in economic free fall: Workers remain primarily remote; office space sits empty; businesses shutter; mass transit is sharply reduced or even bankrupt, making it even harder for low- and middle-wage workers who enable restaurants and small businesses to operate, causing major budget shortfalls from declining tax revenue that imperil numerous city services, trigger mass layoffs of city workers and shred the social safety net, all of which causes more people to leave.”

COUNTIES CURTAILED — Los Angeles County has lost more population than any county in America, per new Census data, as other major California counties also shrank. L.A. bled about 90,000 residents from July 2021 to July 2022 while Santa Clara County and Alameda County lost about 15,000 residents and Orange County had roughly 10,000 fewer people. Less-expensive Riverside County grew by about 20,000 residents. High housing costs had nearly half of California residents consider moving last year, per PPIC.

— “Benicia residents ordered to conserve water after hillside collapse damages main pipeline,” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Joel Umanzor: “City officials have implemented a critical water shortage alert, which requires all residents and businesses to reduce water usage by 40 percent, according to authorities. In the meantime, officials said, water from Lake Herman — Benicia’s secondary water source — will be accessed for public consumption.”

— “Newsom names 3 LGBTQ appeal court nominees,” by The Bay Area Reporter’s Matthew S. Bajko: “Governor Gavin Newsom has nominated two gay men to serve on the state's appellate courts and moved to elevate a lesbian appeal court justice to preside over her bench. Should they be confirmed as expected, it would bring the number of known LGBTQ appellate justices in the state to seven, two of whom are now serving in presiding justice positions.”

GO INSIDE THE 2023 MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE: POLITICO is proud to partner with the Milken Institute to produce a special edition "Global Insider" newsletter featuring exclusive coverage, insider nuggets and unparalleled insights from the 2023 Global Conference, which will convene leaders in health, finance, politics, philanthropy and entertainment from April 30-May 3. This year’s theme, Advancing a Thriving World, will challenge and inspire attendees to lean into building an optimistic coalition capable of tackling the issues and inequities we collectively face. Don’t miss a thing — subscribe today for a front row seat.

BIDEN, HARRIS AND THE HILL

— Your questions about the Trump indictment, answered, by POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein and Kyle Cheney: The Manhattan grand jury’s decision to charge Trump for his alleged involvement in a hush money scheme raises a bevy of questions about the soundness of the case, the logistics involved in forcing a former president into criminal court and the ramifications for other ongoing state and federal investigations of Trump.

— Meet Kevin McCarthy’s new wingman, by POLITICO’s Sarah Ferris and Josh Siegel: Kevin McCarthy has a new fixer: Garret Graves. The fast-talking Republican from south Louisiana has vaulted to the center of the House GOP’s biggest political dramas, from this week’s massive energy bill to its contentious earmarks policy to getting the party united on a debt-limit strategy.

SILICON VALLEYLAND

— “Tech layoffs widen: Semiconductor maker trims scores of Bay Area jobs,” by The Mercury News’ George Avalos: “Marvell Technology, a Bay Area semiconductor company, will cut nearly 100 jobs in Santa Clara, the company reported in an official filing with the state Employment Development Department. San Jose-based Roku is planning to cut 200 jobs, although the precise locations and timing are unknown, the streaming titan stated in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday.”

MIXTAPE

— “Environmental plan for A’s waterfront ballpark backed by appeals panel,” by the Courthouse News Service’s Natalie Hanson.

— “These Bay Area restaurants say crime is worse than any time in memory: 'It's like a war zone',” by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Elena Kadvany.

— “Dungeness crab season from Bay Area south will come to an early end to protect foraging whales,” by The Mercury News’ Linda Zavoral.

CALIFORNIA POLICY IS ALWAYS CHANGING: Know your next move. From Sacramento to Silicon Valley, POLITICO California Pro provides policy professionals with the in-depth reporting and tools they need to get ahead of policy trends and political developments shaping the Golden State. To learn more about the exclusive insight and analysis this -only service offers, click here.

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